What are the best ideas for sequels here?

Discussion in 'Arcanum 2 Suggestion Forum' started by Crypton, Jun 1, 2010.

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  1. Crypton

    Crypton Member

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    Greetings,

    I'm wondering if anybody remembers some great ideas from this subforum, since there is a lot of topics with "some ideas", it will be nice to get some list with the best of them. It could be also some ideas that were impossible to implement in original Arcanum because of technical limitations of its engine.

    Do you remember any? If yes, please post link to that topic here and I'll add it into list.

    Thank you a lot. :thumbup:

    PS: Oh, I forgot to write the reason: Its for the OpenArcanum project. This list will also help me to get a overview of features that should new engine offer.
     
  2. Zanza

    Zanza Well-Known Member

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    So you not only want to steal ideas but you want us to sort them out for you.
     
  3. Crypton

    Crypton Member

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    What? Damn, no, I would like to know what stuff people wanted to add into Arcanum, but they couldn't, because (for example) of limitations of Arcanum engine or modding tools, so I will know what features I should implement into OpenArcanum to allow people who had these ideas to realize them.

    I don't know if you understand me, again, lame english, hard to explain... sorry ;)
     
  4. Charonte

    Charonte Member

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    Weren't you about to shut down the whole OpenArcanum thing? IIRC there was a post somewhere about you not botering to re-register the domain when the time came in june/july
     
  5. Crypton

    Crypton Member

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    AFAIR NO ;)

     
  6. Cloaked Figure

    Cloaked Figure New Member

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    Well, it is generally agreed upon that a prequel to Arcanum would be a lot easier to make, since you don't have to factor in all the different endings, plus have an easier time making a story and working with the lore.

    With that an mind, one engine limitation would be the amount of spells available to each college. In the event of a prequel taking place in the Age of Legends, a wider array of spells would have to be available to each college, in keeping with the lore of the game which describes the waning power of magick as time passes.

    I'm sure there are many more examples of limitations hard coded into the engine that people would like addressed.
     
  7. Charonte

    Charonte Member

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    All those limitations are entirely arbitrary and are probably related to the developers using fixed arrays/limited data sets for whatever reason. It's actually relatively easy to remove all of them and have a dynamically expandable spell/tech/skill system, providing they all fit into the UI of course. Naturally skills and attributes will have an upper limit of at most 4294967295 on most target platforms.

    Honestly, I actually think a sequel would be easier. With a prequel you have to contend with existing lore which could potentially be restrictive. With a sequel, however, how much had actually changed by the end of a playthrough? Sure, you were potentially a god and various other things such as the Caladon/Tarant relationship might have a long-lasting effect, but how much will actually be the same and memorable in three or four hundred years?
     
  8. momsi

    momsi New Member

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    a prequel will be nice so the character would have a wider choice of spells
     
  9. TheDavisChanger

    TheDavisChanger Well-Known Member

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    A prequel would be great for all of the twitching mouth-breathers who cannot spam enough Harm.

    I like the idea of a sequel where in absence of a singular looming evil, there is a period of peace in Arcanum until the individual interests of various cities begin imposing on other cities. Political and social pressures build until Arcanum is thrust into a civil war in which the character must choose a side (or not) and influence the development of the fractured lands. I would expect there would be many opportunities for the mercenary soldier type, the smooth talking political type, and the sneaky assassin type. Magic and Technology could fit into the plot in equal measure.
     
  10. Jojobobo

    Jojobobo Well-Known Member

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    I think the ideas TheDavisChanger just listed about a sequel are pretty cool; though a negative point about making a sequel is that if your main character in the original game was an elf there's a chance he'd still be alive up to 700 hundred years later (or there abouts) in the future. Just something to think about.
     
  11. rroyo

    rroyo Active Member

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    Real quick: If you're still looking for sequel suggestions, why not make something completely original?
    That said, let me run a little something by you that's been slowly but surely taking shape since 2007.
    If you can use any or all of this - Great! If not, maybe someone else can.

    Arcanum: Stranger in a Strange Land
    The continuing adventures of the Living One

    [​IMG]



    The back-story assumes a good-guy role in Arcanum 1.
    The Living One and Virgil are sent into the Void to stop Arronax.
    Upon hearing his story and learning of Kergan, Arronax is freed to join the Living One.
    Using the Vendigroth Device, the trio defeats Kergan, gathers the five surviving Black Mt. dwarves, and use the stargate to exit the Void.
    Arronax and two dwarves go first - and that's where everything goes wrong. His intense magickal aura throws the mechanized portal out of whack, causing serious fluctuations in both geographic and temporal settings.
    Not knowing the danger, Virgil and two dwarves go next, followed by the Living One and the remaining dwarf.
    Upon entering the portal's field, the Living One experiences such intense agony from being buffeted and pulled by the distortions he arrives at the new destination point more dead than alive. The dwarf doesn't survive.

    The game starts on southern-most tip of Isle of the Dead.
    Nursed back to health by a reptilian native of Purv, who became marooned at Shipwreck Point, the Living One learns the fate of the dwarf with him, where he's now at, Virgil, Arronax, and the others are not in the viscinity, and so begins the quest to return to the continent of Arcanum - or - find a new home in Amanraa.

    Finds beached ship with mad crew and intact dinghy. Uses dinghy to escape Isle of the Dead. Picked up at sea, learns first clues about the Shield Islands and their deadly barriers - reef, anti-teleport, & mind-destroying.

    In Sarma, the primary religion is a mixture of the old gods of Arcanum and stories of Kergaan and his "Arrow-Axe Horde" coming to destroy all life in the world. Advanced tech is prohibited.
    Learns that Virgil is alive, been there for over 35 years, and is hunted for herecy for preaching a mixture of Panarrii and the Living One saga. He was badly injured in transit and is now a crippled, elderly man (Does not
    become a follower again). Virgil lost grip on his dwarves during transit but heard rumors they may have appeared in the distant past of Amanraa.

    In Eldamar, learns that the dwarves suddenly began a frenzied building program 2,200 years ago that created the Shield Islands. When old Vendigroth was destroyed, the survivors were brought to Amanraa, then the Elves cast the great anti-teleport spell at the islands. The dwarven/Vendigrothian machines that generate the mind-destroying field (intense magnetism?) were activated and pushed the anti-teleport further out to sea.
    Need to turn off anti-teleport spell first. How to do that without being mind-wiped?
    Learns that Dark Elves are necromancers and protectors of the Elven lands and Isle of the Dead.

    In Klah, learn that Vendi technology was rapidly fading until a fellow named Hiram Bates suddenly began reviving it.
    Discover Arcanum tech in a store.
    Learn the Vendigrothians are militaristic and paranoid. Entry into their lands is tightly controlled.

    Klah is mostly farming and halfling communities.

    In Tranat, discover the locations of the master stones (6?) needed to shut down the anti-teleport shield.
    Possible name: Yursooscaruud Desert.

    In New Vendigroth, learn that the technology driving the rebirth of Vendi tech comes from Arcanum via Hiram Bates (Gilbert's nephew). There is a way home.
    Hiram reacts badly to learning you knew his uncle. Withholds location of safe passage, sends assassins after you.
    Learn that Hiram is secretly building an army of automatons. Dreams of conquering the continent.
    In one dwarf mine, learn the full story of the two dwarves with Virgil and why the Shield Islands came to be built.

    At Shield Island 15, bring about the death of Hiram in mind-destroying field or by automaton army.
    Meet Gilbert Bates and Capt. Teach - who just arrived - and learn that Hiram was not related to Bates.


    ************************************************

    Side-notes: Insultingly, Purvects are called Purverts and Kahatians are called Klads (MYTH series reference).

    *************************************************
    Followers:

    Kanago - The marooned Purvect. Melee/dodge fighter. True heir to leadership of a clan, he was framed (need reason), strapped to a raft, and tossed into the ocean. Ended up on Shipwreck Point.
    MX-1313 - Automaton - One way to kill Elven spell?

    *************************************************
    Villians:

    Hiram Bates - Vendigroth (from Arcanum) - steadily becoming someone important.

    Bate's Assassins - Activated when he learns Living One actually knew Gilbert Bates. Range: Klah, Tranat, Purv, and New Vendigroth.

    Grand Inquisitor Gotharna - Sarma.

    Enforcers (Malochian Hand humans) - Activated after meeting Gotharna. Range: Sarma, Klah, Mililor, Purv.

    Shadowslash - Leader of Dark Elves. Sees you only as a tomb robber and threat to status quo.

    Dark Elves (Malochian Hand elves) - Activated by going to Isle of the Dead.

    ***************************************************
    Adventures

    <New>

    Gain Access to the House of Lords to meet Hiram Bates.
    Make your way to Sanctuary for access to S.I.15 to shut down mind-destroying generator.

    <Sarma>

    Find Virgil.
    Foil an ambush by the inquistion.
    Head-on confrontation with Grand Inquisitor Gotharna.

    <Klah>

    Gain access to New Vendigroth.
    Gain access to Isle of the Dead.

    <Eldamar>

    Find the primary city of the Elves.
    Head-on confrontation with Dark Elf Shadowslash.

    <Tranat>

    Locate the Great Archive hidden in the desert and gain access to the burial records there.

    <Purv>

    Help Kanago regain his leadership.

    <Isle>

    Escape from Shipwreck Point.
    Retrieve the master stone from the tomb of Shadowvoyager.

    <Shield>

    Safely shut down Elven anti-teleport spell. S.I.7
    Shut down Vendigrothian mind-destroying field. S.I.15
     
  12. TheDavisChanger

    TheDavisChanger Well-Known Member

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    Thanks Jojobobo. I guess although the sequel would be set in the same world, the player would have to realize that he's playing a different character and a different path than his previous character making it impossible to play his old character and unlikely to ever encounter him.

    Purv sounds like a great place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.

    Hi rroyo, what's new? Last I remember your hand was crushed. How is it doing?
     
  13. momsi

    momsi New Member

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    I have just started playing the game and this game seems a little complicated. can you help me?
     
  14. TheDavisChanger

    TheDavisChanger Well-Known Member

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  15. rroyo

    rroyo Active Member

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    Hi, DavisChanger! Small correction - It wasn't my hand so much as it was my wrist that got slashed half in two.
    It's healing up nicely and the nerves for my thumb seem to be trying to reconnect.

    About Purv: Why not? :p
     
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